Islanders shine at Lewiston Art Festival

Photos by Karen Carr Keefe

The Lewiston Art Festival, marking its 60^th year in 2026, filled Center Street this past weekend with art, music and crowds who enjoyed the art and the beautiful summer weather.

Grand Island artists were well-represented among the many colorful booths up and down Center Street. Here’s a sampling of their work.

•Michael A. Cancilla Jr. explains some of the paintings in his booth to Lewiston resident John Lanier. Cancilla has enjoyed an artist’s career after retiring about seven years ago from a career in education and administration.

•Patty Cancilla is seen in her booth with customer Roberta Neubauer of Lewiston. Cancilla is a master artisan with many awards to her credit, including a second-place award in jewelry in the 2023 Lewiston Art Festival. She creates jewelry from heirloom pieces and with decorative stone and hand-painted floral designs, often using her special wire-wrapped settings.

•Fritz Proctor III, at left, holds a painting of the Bedell House that he sold to Dick Crawford, right, former Grand Island town highway superintendent, on Sunday. Proctor, who grew up on Grand Island, enjoys painting in acrylic, watercolor and oil. His work expresses a connection to the rural beauty of New York state.

•Maria Laurendi poses with her painting of DiCamillo Bakery in front of the subject of her painting, where her artist’s booth was set up. Laurendi specializes in oil paintings, including landscapes and portraits. She has won several awards at the Lewiston Art Festival, including the prestigious Purchase Award in 2025.

•Kristina Laurendi Havens won a second-place award at this year’s Lewiston Art Festival along Center Street with her painting, "Fuschia Parasol.” She specializes in portrait and fine art. She shared a booth this year with her mother, Maria Laurendi.